A Lift for Health : Age Appropriate Hand Washing Stations

State and development partner

Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand 

Save the Children

Problem

Hygiene is important for general well-being, and one of the basic steps for hygiene is washing hands with soap. But how do kids manage when all the hand wash basins are too high for them? The limited number of taps also discourages children to wash their hands.

Conventional Solution

Teaching children the importance of washing hands with soap through mothers at home and teachers at school has been the primary way of spreading awareness. But even if children comprehend and make an effort to inculcate the habit, physical hurdles like not being able to reach the wash basin and soap due to their height can be the last mile barrier which is often not considered.

Behavioural Insight Based Solution

As part of the Stop Diarrhea Initiative (SDI), age-appropriate hand wash platforms have been introduced in schools to create an enabling environment that improves children's self-efficacy to wash their hands with soap. A unique design of three-stage hand washing platform has been introduced that allows children of any age to wash their hands comfortably irrespective of their height. This simple design intervention is based on a human-centred design approach that identifies practical challenges and corrects them. This innovative solution makes the interface between children and an important health practice easier by recognising a simple accesibility barrier and creating an enabling environment for all children to practice handwashing behaviour. It is estimated that approximately 60 children can wash their hands before and after meals through this hand washing platform.

Impact

SDI project schools with age-appropriate hand washing platforms noticed that more than 80% of students now wash their hands with soap and water before meals, after using the toilet, andafter playing outdoors.

Source : Stories of Change from India's Aspirational districts - NITI Aayog publication